Nashville, TN – Lung Cancer! If you have lungs, you can get it! Anyone can develop lung cancer, regardless of age, gender, smoking history or skin color.

Shockingly, more than half the people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked or have already quit smoking, and cancer takes more lives annually than breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancers COMBINED!

Breathe Deep Nashville is a 5K timed run and untimed walk to raise critical funds for lung cancer research, and is held in honor of Channing Phillips. The course kicks off in Centennial Park and is friendly to strollers, wheelchairs, and pets (as long as they are cleaned up after).

The Breath Deep Nashville 5k Run in 2010

The situation in Tennessee is dire. More Tennesseans die from lung cancer each year than from any other type of cancer. In fact, it is estimated that 5,000 Tennesseans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year – 4,200 will lose their battle before five years. With Breathe Deep Nashville, LUNGevity hopes to raise $80,000 to fund lung cancer studies and early detection research. Your contribution will make a real difference. We can’t do it without you.

Join Breathe Deep Nashville, LUNGevity’s 5K run/walk at Centennial Park on November 17th, at 8:00am. To participate visit lungevity.org/nashville. That’s l-u-n-g-e-v-i-t-y.org/nashville. Together we can stop lung cancer now. The LUNGevity Foundation is the nation’s largest lung cancer-focused nonprofit, is raising money to fund life-saving research for early detection and effective treatment, and we need your help!

About Channing L. Phillips

Channing L. Phillips

In January 2011, Channing L. Phillips moved to Nashville. Channing didn’t move for a job. She didn’t move for her family. Channing moved to Nashville to be closer to her oncologist.

Her journey started nearly five years ago. Channing, then 50, developed a headache that wouldn’t go away. It didn’t take doctors long to discover that she had a malignant brain tumor and cancer in both lungs.

“There were no indications that I had any problems with my lungs – no symptoms,” Channing said. “It was a huge shock. When you think about Stage lV lung cancer most people think, ‘not much time, not much hope.’ I decided I wouldn’t give up.”

At the time, Channing lived in Dayton, Ohio. She received treatment at the Cleveland Clinic for her cancer, but after two full rounds of chemotherapy, the doctors stopped seeing results. Channing heard about a trial for a new chemo drug in Nashville and was selected to participate.

Channing’s cancer was found in both of her kidneys and mediastinum as well as her lungs. She began receiving chemo three times a month and had been treated for multiple brain tumors. There is no cure for her cancer, but her doctors staved off its progression by using different types of chemo.

The incurable nature of Channing’s cancer did not keep her from living life to the fullest. Her son, Justin, is pursuing a degree in public health at the University of Cincinnati and then plans to go to medical school. Channing and her husband recently celebrated their 30th anniversary. She has received awards for her work with the American Cancer Society’s “Look Good…Feel Better” programs. And she’s completed 13 half-marathons since her diagnosis.

Only 15% of lung cancer patients live five years after diagnosis. LUNGevity is trying to change that. Sadly, Channing recently lost her battle.